It's coming

U.S.S. ENTERPRISE

At Sea
November 28, 1941

BATTLE ORDER NUMBER ONE

1. The ENTERPRISE is now operating under war conditions.

2. At any time, day or night, we must be ready for instant
action.

3. Hostile submarines may be encountered.

4. The importance of every officer and man being specially
alert and vigilant while on watch at his battle station
must be fully realized by all hands.

5. The failure of one man to carry out his assigned task
promptly, particularly the lookouts, those manning the
batteries, and all those on watch on the deck, might
result in great loss of life and even loss of the ship.

6. The Captain is confident all hands will prove equal to
any emergency that may develop.

7. It is part of the tradition of our Navy that, when put
to the test, all hands keep cool, keep their heads, and
FIGHT.

8. Steady nerves and stout hearts are needed now.

G. D. MURRAY,
Captain, U.S. Navy
Commanding

Approved: November 28, 1941.
W. F. HALSEY,
Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy,
Commander Aircraft, Battle Force

CL 53 USS San Diego

The Unbeatable Ship That Nobody Ever Heard Of:

"Few knew of her during World War II, and few know of her even today: a ship named for the city of San Diego. The light antiaircraft cruiser USS SAN DIEGO (CL 53) received the honor of being the first victorious American warship to enter Tokyo Bay."

Marston Mats

James Aalan Bernsen: Relics of War - Marston Mats

Shortly before WWII, American Engineers were looking for a way to quickly build roads, airfields and dozens of other projects with mass-produced materials that could be quickly brought to the front and assembled. In short, they were looking for the "legos" of infrastructure.

The solution they came to was Marston Mats - sheets of interlocking pierced steel planking that could be pieced together quickly. They could provide all-weather traction over mud in the South Pacific, Tundra in the Aleutian Islands, volcanic ash on Iwo Jima and Sand on Normandy. And once a flat base had been bulldozed by Army Engineers or Seabees, they could be laid down as the foundation of a temporary airfield.